Lady Blue by Helen A Rosburg Page A

weeping had subsided. “I have to tell you one more thing.” When she didn’t respond, he continued. “I shouldn’t have come back, I know that. But I had to because I … I’ve fallen in love with you, Harmony. I love you. I had to see you again and tell you.”
    She had thought all emotion had drained from her with her tears. But it had not. She sat up, rigidly erect, and looked Anthony directly in the eye.
    “How can you possibly expect me to believe you?”
    If she had stabbed him in the heart with a dagger, it would not have been nearly as painful.
    “I guess you can’t,” Anthony replied at length.
    “There is something you can do for me, though.”
    “Anything, Harmony. Anything. Just tell me what you want.”
    “Take me home, Anthony. Please just take me home.”

Chapter Twelve
    H armony pulled the lamp closer to the sheet of paper on which she wrote. It was a gray day and only the dimmest light filtered through the ivy-covered window. It was difficult to see the letter, the words she scribed on the page. But at least it kept her busy. It was something to do to fill her long, dull, colorless days. It also kept her in touch with her few friends in America. When her time with Agatha was up, she fully intended to take her inheritance, leave this cursed country, return to her beloved ranch, and stay as far away as possible from her dreadful sister.
    Harmony bent to her task, only to be interrupted by a loud and angry rumble. Was that thunder she heard? A storm could hardly make this depressing place worse. It might even be a welcome distraction. She rose and crossed to the window.
    Sure enough, purplish clouds roiled in the sky against a backdrop of gray. Another boom of thunder rolled across the woodlands. Harmony didn’t hear her door open.
    “Busy as usual, I see,” came the sound of her sister’s voice behind her. Harmony turned on her heel.
    It had actually been better when Agatha had locked her in her room. The turn of the key had been a warning. Now, since Harmony rarely left her room and there was no reason to lock her in, Agatha simply walked in unannounced. It was not pleasant.
    “As a matter of fact, I was writing a letter,” Harmony replied evenly. “I got up to look at the weather.”
    “It is quickly turning foul,” Agatha agreed. “Which makes Lord Farmington’s visit here again today even more impressive.”
    “Please, don’t start.” Harmony turned her back on her sister and gripped the windowsill to keep her hands steady.
    “Three days in a row, Harmony,” Agatha persisted, voice rising. “Three days that young man … a
lord,
no less … has come to call on you, and you won’t even give him the time of day. What’s wrong with you?”
    “Nothing’s wrong with me.” Harmony’s temper rose along with the timber of her sister’s voice. She faced her. “He found my ring, and I’m grateful. He earned the right to my appreciation, which he received. He’s entitled to nothing else. Besides, I don’t know anything about him.”
    “And you never will unless you march yourself down those stairs and take the time to
get
to know him.”
    “If you’re so eager to get to know him better, why don’t
you
go talk to him?”
    Agatha’s nostrils flared with indignation. “I’ve a mind to do just that!”
    “Well, please … do it, then.”
    With a huff, Agatha spun and left the room. Harmony stared after her for a long moment. She had to fight to control her emotions.
    Every day, for three long days, Anthony had come to see her, although she had made it very clear she never wanted to see him again. The fabric of the lies he had woven was too dense to penetrate. How could she ever possibly trust him again?
    Furthermore, his games had been childish, not to mention dangerous. What kind of a man would practice such trickery? Certainly not someone she would like to spend more time with.
    At least he had been right about one thing, Harmony mused bitterly. She
had
preferred the